1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor device module frames for use for example in transporting and positioning a semiconductor device module in a semiconductor device module production line.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the present application a xe2x80x9csemiconductor devicexe2x80x9d will refer to a single electronic component provided in the form of a chip, such as an integrated circuit (IC), a large scale integration (LSI) and the like. Furthermore, a xe2x80x9csemiconductor device modulexe2x80x9d will refer to a substrate having mounted on a surface thereof an electronic component such as a semiconductor device, a capacitor, a connection terminal or the like. The xe2x80x9csemiconductor device modulexe2x80x9d can typically be also referred to as a xe2x80x9cmounted substratexe2x80x9d, a xe2x80x9cmodule substratexe2x80x9d or the like.
Conventionally in fabricating a semiconductor device module a magazine 18 as shown in FIG. 6 and a holder 17 having a recess 16 as shown in FIG. 7 are used to successively transport to each process step a substrate 9 on which the module is to be formed. Recess 16 is shaped and sized to correspond to a geometry of substrate 9. Substrate 9 is accommodated in recess 16, fit thereinto.
For example, substrate 9 has a surface provided for example with an external connection terminal 41, a capacitor mounting region 31 and 32, an IC mounting region 33 and 34. Substrate 9 is accommodated in holder 17 with the surface exposed upward, as shown in FIG. 8. In this condition, various electronic components are mounted, e.g., capacitors 51 and 52 are mounted in capacitor mounting regions 31 and 32 and ICs 53 and 54 are mounted in IC mounting regions 33 and 34.
Fitting and thus accommodating substrate 9 in holder 17, as shown in FIG. 8, allows substrate 9 together with holder 17 to be readily handled for example with a handler (not shown). Furthermore, holder 17 fixed in width can be housed in magazine 18 having a holder accommodating space fixed in width. Thus, a large number of holders 17 can be housed in magazine 18 to transport and store substrates.
Holder 17 used as above, however, must be changed if substrate 9 for a semiconductor device module to be fabricated varies in size, since holder 17 is required to have recess 16 corresponding thereto. To change holder 17, the production line is disadvantageously stopped or, to produce new holder 17, an extra cost is disadvantageously required.
The present invention contemplates a tool that can eliminate the necessity of using a holder to house a substrate in a magazine to allow various process steps to be provided smoothly without stopping the production line when a substrate varies in size.
To achieve the above object the present invention provides a semiconductor device module frame including a semiconductor device module fabrication area for fabricating a semiconductor device module corresponding to a substrate having an electronic component mounted thereon, a framework positioned to sandwich the semiconductor device module fabrication area in two directions and define an outermost width of the frame, and a rib connecting the framework and the semiconductor device module fabrication area together to fix their relative, positional relationship.
As such, rather than a substrate accommodated in a holder the form of a semiconductor device module frame can be handled as if it were a plate having a fixed outermost width. This can eliminate the necessity of preparing a different holder whatever size a semiconductor device module fabrication area has. Furthermore, whatever size a semiconductor device module to be fabricated has, a common transport unit, a common magazine and the like can be used and the frame can thus have a uniform outermost width.
In the present invention preferably the frame includes a positioning means for positioning the semiconductor device module fabrication area in processing the semiconductor device module fabrication area. This can facilitate positioning the semiconductor device module fabrication area to mount an electronic component thereon if on the semiconductor device module frame there does not still appear any outer peripheral geometry of the semiconductor device module itself.
In the present invention preferably the positioning means is a positioning hole. As such, the positioning means can be relatively readily formed. As such, with a simple structure the position of the frame can be confirmed.
In the present invention preferably the positioning hole is provided in the framework. As such, the semiconductor device module fabrication area can be prevented from having a positioning hole that would consume a valuable space on a substrate of a semiconductor device module. Since the semiconductor device module fabrication area does not have any positioning hole, the semiconductor device module can also be shaped with a level of precision free of any negative effects attributable to a positioning hole otherwise provided in the semiconductor device fabrication area.
In the present invention preferably the frame is structured such that simply cutting the rib allows the semiconductor device module fabrication area to be extracted as a semiconductor device module. As such, simple equipment can be used to rapidly extract a semiconductor device module from a semiconductor device module frame having processed, as required, including, e.g., mounting an electronic component thereon.
In the present invention preferably the semiconductor device module fabrication area includes an external connection terminal provided to externally connect the semiconductor device module and the external connection terminal is distant from the rib to prevent the external connection terminal from being functionally affected by cutting the rib. As such, cutting a semiconductor device module off and thus extracting the module to obtain it does not functionally damage an external connection terminal corresponding to a portion important to the semiconductor device module.
In the present invention preferably the frame includes an auxiliary framework sandwiching the semiconductor device module fabrication area in still another two directions, the auxiliary framework defining an outermost length of the frame. As such, the frame can have an outermost length defined whatever size a semiconductor device module fabrication area has. As such, rather than a substrate accommodated in a holder, the form of a semiconductor device module frame can be handled as if it were a plate fixed in outermost width and length. In particular, if a semiconductor device module to be fabricated significantly varies not only in width but also in length, a semiconductor device module frame can be defined to have a fixed outermost length. As a result, the frame can have a uniform outermost width and a uniform outermost length to allow a common transport unit, a common magazine and the like to be smoothly used whatever size a semiconductor device module to be fabricated has.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a group of semiconductor device module frames, including a plurality of semiconductor device module frames to fabricate in a plurality of forms a semiconductor device module corresponding to a substrate with an electronic component mounted thereon, each semiconductor device module frame including: a semiconductor device module fabrication area for fabricating a semiconductor device module corresponding thereto; a framework positioned to sandwich the semiconductor device module fabrication area in two directions and define an outermost width of the frame; and a rib connecting the framework and the semiconductor device module fabrication area together to fix a relative, positional relationship between the framework and the semiconductor device module fabrication area, wherein the plurality of semiconductor device module frames have the outermost width set to be uniform to have a single value or a plurality of limited values arranged in a graduated series.
As such, whatever size a semiconductor device module to be fabricated has, rather than a holder with a substrate held thereon the semiconductor device module frame can be handled as if it were a plate having a uniform outermost width. This can eliminate the necessity of preparing a different holder whatever size a semiconductor device module fabrication area has. As such, a common transport unit, a common magazine and the like can be used. It is thus not necessary to stop a production line whatever size a semiconductor device module to be fabricated has. As such the production line can be continuously operated.
In the present invention preferably each semiconductor device module frame includes a positioning means for positioning the semiconductor device module fabrication area in processing the semiconductor device module fabrication area. As such, the semiconductor device module fabrication area can be readily positioned for mounting an electronic component thereon if on individual frames of the group of semiconductor device module frames there does not still appear any outer peripheral geometry of semiconductor device modules themselves. As such, the production line can be automated more efficiently.
In the present invention preferably the positioning means is a positioning hole. As such, the group of semiconductor device module frames can be configured of individual frames relatively readily provided with the positioning means. As such, with a simple structure the position of each semiconductor device module frame can be confirmed. This can facilitate automating a production line.
In the present invention preferably the positioning hole is provided in the framework. As such, in the group of semiconductor device module frames the individual frames can each have a semiconductor device module fabrication area free of a positioning hole that would consume a valuable space on a substrate of a semiconductor device module. Since the semiconductor device module fabrication area does not have any positioning hole, the semiconductor device module can also be shaped with a level of precision free of any negative effects attributable to a positioning hole otherwise provided in the semiconductor device fabrication area.
In the present invention preferably each semiconductor device module frame is structured such that simply cutting the rib allows the semiconductor device module fabrication area to be extracted as a semiconductor device module. As such, simple equipment can be used to extract a semiconductor device module from an individual semiconductor device module frame having processed, as required, including, e.g., mounting an electronic component thereon.
In the present invention preferably the semiconductor device module fabrication area includes an external connection terminal provided to externally connect the semiconductor device module and the external connection terminal is distant from the rib to prevent the external connection terminal from being functionally affected by cutting the rib. As such, cutting a semiconductor device module off an individual one of the grouped semiconductor device module frames and thus extracting the module to obtain it, does not functionally damage an external connection terminal corresponding to a portion important to the semiconductor device module.
In the present invention preferably each semiconductor device module frame includes an auxiliary framework sandwiching the semiconductor device module fabrication area in still another two directions, the auxiliary framework defining an outermost length of the frame. As such, the outermost length can be defined whatever size a semiconductor device module fabrication area has. As such, rather than a holder with a substrate housed therein, the form of a semiconductor device module frame can be handled as if it were a plate having a uniform outermost width and an outermost length. Still preferably, the outermost length is uniform as well as the outermost width. In particular, if a semiconductor device module to be fabricated significantly varies not only in width but also in length, a semiconductor device module frame can be defined to have a fixed outermost length. As such, a common transport unit, a common magazine and the like can be more smoothly used whatever size a semiconductor device module to be fabricated has.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.